Improvement in corn and fertilizer-droppers



cdbttrdtatr ADAM TOWBRMAN AND JOHN KEYS, OF WASHINGTON, ILLINOIS.

Letters .Patent No. 96,510, dated November 2, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN AND FERTILIZER-DROPPERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and n :laking part oftne same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ADAM TOWBERMAN and JOHN KEYS, of Washington, in thecounty of Tazewell, and in the State; 0f Illinois, have invented a newand useful Machine for Dropping Corn and Fertilizing-Material Together;and do hereby declare that the followingr is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, makinga part of this specification, in which like letters 0f reference referto like parts, and in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view.

Figure 2, plan of the boxes with covers removed.

Figure 3, plan, showing dropperwheels, andtheir operation by means ofthe slide, the upper plate having been removed.

Figure 4,vertica1 section through the boxes, on the line-ALA, tigr; l

. Figure 5, planof lower and shank of runnen We construct this dropperfor fertilizers and corn as follows:

At the. rear end of the corn-box or hopperB, in a corn-planter, we placeanother box, A, for the fertilizer, of a similar size.

The common bottom G of the boxes A and D, which rests on the openinginto the shank or boot C of runner K, is perforated with an opening, S,extending on both sides of slide D, which moves dmppers (See figs. 3 and5.)

A recess, /r, in this bottom piece-is for the play or motion of slide D.It has also two pins, n n, cast im surface, on which the droppcr-wheelsE F oscilate.

The latter are s'mall horizontal wheels, covering bottom of the box, andare perforated with two or more vertical holes, k, near theircircumference.

A slot., O, is formed on the latter, by projecting. lips or jaws, whichengage with the pin p, onthe end of the slide D.

The slots on either wheel are opposed, each engagplate between droppersing with one of the two pins p p, on either side of the slot, in the end.of the slide D.

We make the perforations, both for the dropping of the corn andfertilizer, ofditierent sizes, in order that Ihe wheels may be adjustedat the pleasure of theoperator, all that is necessary to do this beingto adjust the slot on the wheel nearest the c hosen holes.

'lhevalve L, in the boot O O, is supported by two pins, t t, in theshank, and retains the corn and fertil-v izer between the bottom edge ofvalve and-the sides of the boot or shank (l until the next motion. It isoscilated for this purpose by means of the slot in 'the slide D, betweenthe pins pp; andthe to;` edge of this valve, as well ast-hc boot orshank C O, is made much longer than those of other machines', in orderto embrace the discharge fromthe holes in each box A B, and to dischargeboth the corn and the fertilizer inthe soil at one spot.' v

l The dropping-wheel VE of fertilizer-box A is covered bythe horizontalplate a a c a, the side vof which is bent up, and enters a recess in thecentral"divisiou bctween the box. The oppositesidc is also bent, and

lies flush with the inner slope of box, and is secured by the bottom l.

This plate has an opening, d d, so 'shaped and arranged that but onehole in the (koppel-E beneath is fed at one time, being an oval opening,with a divisioual tongue. v

The other or corn-box B has a droppcr-wheel of a similar form, F, andoperated precisely in the same manner, the holes in plate b b being,however, two iny number.

The fertilizer-box A is provided with the strong device'seen best in theperspective view. a vertical shaft, e, with a base-piece, m, whichiscountersunk in the centre of the d|'oppei '-wl1eel E, over the centralpiu p. This carries one or more cross-arms, g 71 c', for dividing themass 'of lfertilizing-material.

The lower cross-arm gis retained at a short distancel above the plate aa by means of a hollow cylinder or tube, j, fitted on over the shaft.j'The other arms are held, at rather larger distances, above this` iu asimilar manner; thewhole securedv on the top of the shaft' with a nut.

Y The operation of this machine is as follows:

The corn and fertilizer being both placed in their respective boxes,andthe machine started'forward, I being the tongue, K, the runners, Aand B, the set of boxes on one side, and A and B, a similar' set at theother side of machine, united by the bar J, and another' one not seen indrawings, the slide D terminating at either end, in either box, by thehandle Hheld in the slot on the bar J, near the` seat, by reference tothe pla-n, figs. Zand 3, it will be seen that the two drop'- pers Eand'F are simultaneously moved by means of the pins p p, bringing:alternately one-of they pair ot' holes k 'k to the openings d d and cc, in the plates aA a and b b, in the bottom of each box, the fertilizerand corn entering their respective holes in each wheel E and F, andthere retained on the plate G G, until the reverse or return motion ofslide carries the wheel and its hole, filled with fertilizer on the onehand, and corn in 'the other box, over the openings S S, in the bottomplate G, over the shank of runner C, where it is discharged on to thevalve L, at the bottom of which it is retaineil,'nntil the next motionof the-slide, at which time -it is discharged to thev ground at the samespot.

This valve is operated by means of the slot at the endof slide D, whichengages with the'pin q at the upper edge of the valve.

The stirring-device, attached .to the centre of fer- It consistsofvtilizer E, receives a turn at each motion of the droppel', and cuts andloosens the manure.

Having thus fully described our invention,

\Vhnt we claim therein as new, andldesire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. The dropper-wheels E and F, with holes la 7g k k, of different sizes,and slots O 0 0, Vin combination with pins 1 1), consti-noted andarranged substantially as described.

2. The slide D, with pins 1) p, in combination with the slots O O O,ot'dropper-wheels E and F, and valyes, constructed and operatingsubstantially as described.

i 3. In a corn and fertilizer-dropping machire, tbe wheels 'E and F,boxes A and B, and shanks C, of-run- 11ers K K, so constructed as torequire only one box ADAM TOVVBERMAN. JOHN KEYS.

Witnesses:

EDMD. ,THUrLo'.v, A. H. Srmw.

